


Disconnected

by Deannachu



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Cute, F/M, First Person, Fluffy, Minimal anxiety attack reference, Reader Insert, song-fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-05-25
Packaged: 2018-01-26 10:24:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1684937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deannachu/pseuds/Deannachu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being surrounded by electronics of all kinds almost six days out of the week was exhausting, even threatening my well-being when I began experiencing anxiety attacks; luckily, Ray had just the right idea to help us both disconnect from it all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Disconnected

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt idea from an Anon on Tumblr, using the song Disconnected by 5SoS for a Ray/Reader fic. I have to say, I'm proud with how this turned out! Also, I apologize for adding extra details like the hair color and stuff of the reader; I was picturing myself as I was writing this so that's why it says blonde hair and stuff. x

When I was first hired to work at Rooster Teeth as an editor and a coveted Achievement Hunter member, I will admit, I was excited. Going from a really shitty laptop I've had for almost five years to all kinds of new equipment, software, and gadgets was a dream come true for me. The fast internet alone was enough to make me say 'yes' when Burnie and Geoff asked if I wanted the job. I had been a fan of their videos for quite a few years, starting with Red vs. Blue and progressing through Let's Plays, AHWUs, and Michael's hilariously-funny rage-quits. They inspired me, actually, to make my own videos; although they barely topped one hundred thousand views, max. It was a miracle that they gave me a call, actually. I had just gotten laid off from my job and was desperately needing work.

I checked my e-mail one dreary Wednesday evening and the rest is history.

Now about a year and a half of being with the company, I was still as happy and excited as I was the first day I started; but the technology aspect lost its spark. Now editing became more of a chore than something actually to look forward to, as they had the latest software. Capturing for videos became as routine as flipping on a light switch and I almost started to object at turning on my Xbox every single day. There were so many wires and so much power coming from that tiny room that it was almost suffocating. 

When I first had my anxiety attack, I was about a year into being with the company. We were filming a GO! and everyone had jumped up to rush towards the shelf of games, which just so happened to be near my (and Ray's) desks. I sat patiently, waiting for the hoard of sweaty men to find their way back to their seats before I began my search, and then I felt it. A tightening in my chest, my nerves flaring into overdrive, and just raw  _panic._ I had never felt this way before, so my freaking out only seemed to make it worse. The heat from the machines, plus the heat from the men, added to me being in a corner of the room with nowhere to go and, well...

"Move! Move out of my fucking way, I need air, I can't breathe," I shouted at the top of my lungs, jumping from my seat and pushing my way through the guys and out the door. I ran outside  and doubled over, breathing heavily as though I had just run five miles non-stop. My hands were shaking and my heart was going absolutely insane. The sense of overwhelming panic was subsiding but my nerves were still on high alert. I all but collapsed on to the ground, half sitting and half laying on the cold pavement. I didn't realize I was crying until I felt the wetness on my cheeks. 

I heard the door open behind me and suddenly two hands were rubbing my back, whispering soothing words into my ear. It was Ray.

"I-I'm sorry," I whispered, trying my damn hardest to compose myself like the adult I was.

"You had an anxiety attack, why are you apologizing? Was that the first one you ever had?" asked Ray, sitting beside me but still rubbing my back. My breathing was more even now. I nodded. "Christ. That must have been scary as shit. Do I need to get you anything? A glass of water, or...?" I shook my head, smiling slightly at the man.

"Thank you, but I'll be fine if I just sit out here for a few more minutes. It was just so hot in that room and being in a corner wasn't exactly the greatest place for me to be. I felt closed in, almost claustrophobic," I explained, leaning into his touch. He squeezed me slightly with one arm and I relaxed even more. Ray just had this calming air about him; he was one of those people that you could tell anything to and he would listen without judging. He's the type of person that would make you soup if you were sick or run out in the middle of the night to get you food if you were hungry. He was just  _that guy._

We stayed outside for a few minutes longer, watching traffic pass and greeting the couple of people coming and going from the building. I had fully calmed down at that point and was ready to return to work. I told Ray this and he stood up, pulling me with him. I moved to leave his embrace but he walked me to the door, arm still around my shoulders, as though he were afraid I would faint or go into some kind of panic. I smiled as he held the door open for me and walked swiftly back towards the office, which still felt like a blazing inferno with all of the heat radiating inside. 

"Are you okay?" asked Geoff, concern in his normally playful eyes. I nodded and moved to sit back down. 

"Just a mild anxiety attack, no big deal." I tried to play it off as nonchalant but everyone's eyes widened; Michael choked on his coffee.

"'No big deal'?" he argued. "You almost passed out and it's mostly our fault for not having a fucking air conditioner that functions properly, or even a fucking window. Do you need to move desks or something? Maybe closer to the door? I'm sure that Gavin wouldn't mind giving up his seat." At the mention of his name the Brit promptly smiled at me, nodding. 

"It's no big deal, so long as you're okay," he promised, still smiling. I glanced at Ray, who smiled encouragingly at me, although it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'll be okay," I declined, smiling at the two men. "Just... next time, one at a time please?" The men in the room chuckled.

"Absolutely," promised Geoff. "Alright assholes, let's get back to this GO!..."

\--

It was around nine at night; Ray and I were finishing up some last minute editing and were heading to our respective vehicles. Suddenly, as we approached mine, he stopped and grabbed my wrist. "So I have an idea," he began, and I laughed. His "ideas" usually ended up being pranks that pissed off at least half of the Rooster Teeth staff or caused Gavin to flee to the nearest bathroom, gagging (because something about wet bread just made his skin  _crawl._ ) 

I raised one eyebrow skillfully, questioning the man's 'idea.' "Do tell."

He grinned at the hesitation in my voice. "You and me. Tomorrow's Friday, right? You and me. A picnic out in the beauty of nature. No wires. No computers. No stupid technology. We play hooky." I bit my lip, looking down at my scuffed up Converse shoes.

"I don't know... I still have so much editing to do, Geoff will have my head if I don't get it done..." I explained, not exactly warming up to the idea of skipping work. 

"Just leave Geoff and the editing to me. Okay? Just be ready to leave tomorrow morning at ten. I'll bring everything we need. I just need you to be waiting for me, looking cute." He stopped and stammered, a faint blush creeping into his cheeks. "N-not that you don't  _always_ look cute; I just meant... what I was trying to say was..."

I stepped closer to the stuttering Puerto Rican and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, smiling. "I know what you meant, Ray. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow morning." I hugged him around his waist, lingering for just a second longer than I normally do. "See you tomorrow."

I got into my car and started the engine, pulling out of the lot. In my rear-view mirror Ray was still standing by his vehicle, hand cupping the cheek that I kissed. 

\--

I was ready and waiting, dressed in a pair of shorts and one of the few actual nice tops that I owned; this one was an off the shoulder, extremely soft red top that I paired with a black tank top underneath. When I looked in the mirror, I prayed a silent 'thank you' for the fact that my skin was clear, free of any pimples or other things unwanted. I wore no makeup, but my blue eyes were clear and piercing, excited for the eventful day ahead. I left my hair long, putting just enough product in it to tame the light blonde waves. I heard a faint 'honk' from outside and a 'ding' from my phone two seconds later, indicating that Ray was outside. 

I grabbed my phone and keys, locking my door and running to the car. He waited in the driver's seat, eyebrows arching at my appearance. He smiled when I finally got in the car, throwing it in reverse. "You look adorable," he commented fondly. Turning away from his line of sight, I hid the scarlet blush that painted my cheeks. The nerves were coming back but not because I was suffering another attack. I fiddled with my phone a bit to keep my hands busy. 

A familiar tune sounded on the radio when he was flipping stations and I grabbed his wrist to stop him from changing it. He raised an eyebrow skeptically at me. "You like 5 Seconds of Summer?" I laughed, hiding my face in my hands.

"What can I say? Boy bands are my guilty pleasure," I admitted, blushing furiously into my palms. He gently reached a hand over to removed my hands and cupped my chin in his hand. We stopped at a red light, so he looked over at me, amusement and something else clouding his eyes.

"I think it's cute. Everyone is allowed guilty pleasures," he smiled, stroking my chin slightly. My stomach did somersaults. He let go, finally, to begin driving once more. 

"Oh yeah? What's yours?" I asked teasingly. He laughed abruptly, scratching his face. 

"Don't laugh," he warned. I mimicked a halo over my head and he just rolled his eyes. "I really enjoy watching the High School Musical movies," he muttered. I gasped in surprise. 

"No shit? So do I!" I began laughing and he joined in, a smooth tenor laugh joining my slightly higher alto one. " _We're all in this together!I"_ I sang, dancing in my seat. He smiled at my childish antics and turned up the radio volume just as my favorite lyric from the song came on.

_I like the summer rain_  
 _I like the sounds you make_  
 _We put the world away_  
 _We get so disconnected._

I hummed lightly to the song until it ended, being replaced with a Now, Now song. Neither of us spoke again until I realized we were farther from the city and more into the nature part of Texas. I looked at my surroundings, in awe at the beautifully green trees and impeccably clear blue sky. "Ray, where are we going?" I finally asked, amusing myself with noticing all of the wildlife surrounding the area. There were birds, deer, all kinds of animals. 

"We're almost there, promise."

Five minutes later and we pulled up next to a sort of hidden lake, surrounded by more beautiful scenery. I got out and stretched my legs, as they were aching from the car ride. He got to work at pulling out a blanket and a picnic basket from the back seat. I walked next to him as he set up our spot in a clear area right next to the clear lake. The wind blew cool air off of it, providing an almost natural air conditioning of sorts. He pat a spot next to him and I sat down, curling my legs underneath Indian-style. 

"I hope you're hungry. I made sandwiches - peanut butter and jelly for me, turkey for you, since I know you don't like peanut butter - and also got some fresh fruit and stuff for dessert." He pulled out a can of Mountain Dew and handed it to me. 

"How did you remember my favorite soda?" I asked, popping the tab. He shrugged.

"I remember things about people; it's scary sometimes." I laughed and took a swig, savoring the fizz as the soda hit my throat.

We made quick work of the food, mostly eating in silence as we listened to the nature sounds and observed the lake. I was more calm at this moment right now than I had been for the past three or four years. Ray jokingly threw grapes at me, trying (and failing) to hit my mouth. I ate a few and then tossed some to him, expertly landing them in his mouth. The fruit was sweet, just like this moment. 

I laid back against the soft blanket, tracing shapes in the few white clouds that lingered above, humming the song from earlier. 

Finally Ray spoke. "It's ironic, don't you think? That that song came on as we were trying to disconnect ourselves from _'Life's tangled web of cell phones and hashtag I-don't-knows.'"_ I was quiet, realizing how perfectly that song fit in with our situation. 

"I'm glad we were able to escape today. Technology was just getting to be overwhelming for me," I murmured, lazily drawing shapes on the blanket. Ray's hand found mine and intertwined our fingers. I turned my head to look at him and he was staring at me with the most loving, tender expression I had ever seen. "Sometimes disconnecting ourselves is a good thing. Kind of the real life equivalent of turning it on and then off again," I laughed. He laughed right along with me, pulling me closing to him. Our breaths mingled together, lips mere inches from touching. I could smell the fruit on his breath, sweet and crisp. Just like Ray.

"I'm glad you said yes," he whispered, tenderly reaching his free hand to caress my face, "to coming with me today." I bit my lip, a nervous habit I picked up over the years. My heart beat wildly and the damn butterflies in my stomach were attempting to imitate the gymnastics category from the Olympics. 

"W-why's that?"I asked, eyes shifting from his own to his lips, lips that I wanted to feel on my own at that very moment.

"Because I couldn't do this in front of the others," he whispered, finally closing in that distance between us. As soon as our lips touched, my whole body was on fire. It was like satisfying an addiction I was unaware I even had. I craved Ray, all of Ray; his lips, his breath, his hair...  _him._ I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself almost on top of the man, trying to deepen the kiss further. He kissed me tenderly but full of passion, as he gently pulled at my bottom lip with his teeth, emitting an involuntary groan from deep within myself. 

Time seemed to slow to a halt as we kissed, sharing an embrace that seemed, to me, long overdue. When we finally broke apart our lips were swollen with overdue kisses, breaths heavy with passion, and eyes bright with excitement. I planted one more butterfly-soft kiss to his lips before snuggling into his chest, listening to the wild beating of his heart. He rubbed my back once more, tracing unimportant patterns onto my exposed skin. 

We laid there for a while, saying nothing, although words weren't needed. The air was heavy with expressed emotions and feelings translating into unspoken words. The breeze cooled off my overheated skin and every so often Ray would place soft kisses on my head. 

When the sky was overcome with deep purples and reds, I groaned, pulling the sleepy Puerto Rican to his feet. He stood up grudgingly, pulling me closer for a few more seconds of sweet bliss. "We have to go back," I whispered against his lips. "As much as I would rather stay out here forever, we have to go back now." Ray let out a whine of frustration before sighing.

"Okay, I guess you're right." I laughed at his pout, kissing his cheek before helping him gather our things. We walked hand in hand back to the car, placing everything back inside before hopping in ourselves. I picked up my phone out of the passenger seat and, in the midst of Ray trying to pull me halfway into his lap (a feat that wasn't to happen in his fairly small car) I froze. 

_13 Missed Calls._  
 _25 New Messages  
_ _5 New Voicemails._

Fuck.

"Ray?" I asked. He was smiling lazily at me, almost in a trance-like state.

"Hmm?"

I showed him my phone, which abruptly broke him out of whatever state he was in. He cursed under his breath and sheepishly began laughing. I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow in his direction. "You didn't approve this with Geoff, did you?" I asked, tapping my foot against the floorboard. 

He put the car in reverse and averted my eyes, driving well past the speed limit on the way back to the city.

"Well you see, what had happened was...."


End file.
